What you can do about Global Warming

Recently I attended the Pachamama alliance seminar. They gave out a lot of material but the one I liked the most was this one. It shares what we all can do to make life better for ourselves and the planet, my mother earth, my "pachamama" Please take your time to read it.

• Relationship with self:

o Breathe deeply
o Read one page of something that inspires you
o Attend a religious or spiritual group that is new to you
o Play with crayons
o Stretch your body
o Write down your dreams
o Take a nap
o Listen to someone older than you
o Hug a tree
o Write down three things you are grateful for
o Do nothing for one minute
o Build a fort with blankets- remember to play
o Don’t answer the phone
o Study shamanic journeying techniques
o Display photos that represent the Dream that you want to inspire your life
o Write an answer to the statement “what is the purpose of my life?”
o Watch films, programs, and read books that inspire you
o Create spaces for authentic rituals in your life, such as giving thanks before meals
o Several times during thee day stop, relax for a moment and breathe
o Don’t read your email for one day
o Enjoy what you have
o Keep a dream journal
o Smile at yourself in the mirror
o Take care about what you put in your mind and heart

• Relationship with others/ community:

o Investigate several organizations that are doing something consistent with the Dream you want to have in your community, and get involved with one of them
o Contact you local elementary school and investigate opportunities to volunteer there (e.g., story reading programs)
o Mentor a child
o Form a support group with other participants in your “Awakening the Dreamer” Symposium that will meet monthly and talk about your daily practices, or take action together
o Investigate local churches that might share your spiritual and ecological visions and become involved there
o Turn off your television unless it is being actively watched, or give it up altogether for a period
o Create authentic rituals in your family- blessing at beginnings of meals, family reflection time, appropriate coming of age rituals, birthday rituals
o Establish a “game night” for your family and/or friends on some regular basis
o Have a family meeting where your family talks about whether the day-to-day life you create together does or does not support the Dream that each of you want to have, and what you can do about
o Join or create a shamanic group to support all aspects of awakening the dreamer and changing the Dream
o Invite your neighbors to have a pot luck together 3-4 times a year, with rotating hosts
o Investigate a neighborhood project that might bring your neighbors together in a common goal, for example: planting trees on the street, improving a local playground, preparing a list of basic contact information and map of utility cut-offs for all homes as part of earthquake neighborhood preparednesssmile as you walk down the street
o Dream with friends

• Relationship with the Dream

o Reduce, reuse, recycle. Investigate ecological organizations that help preserve and protect indigenous cultures and support them or volunteer for them
o Vote
o Engage in environmentally conscious policies.
o During a time period that you choose, buy only things you truly need.
o Choose a number of times that each week you will choose to carpool, bicycle, take public transportation or walk instead of driving your own car
o Investigate “one earth” methods of transportation, heating, and refrigeration, at home and work
o Take a test about your contribution to global carbon dioxide emissions based on your lifestyle and educate yourself what possible changes to your lifestyle
o Examine the roles of information technologies in your life
o Experiment with establishing a new or different “baseline” in your relationship with food- for instance, fast one day a month, skip lunch one day a week, eat only when you are strongly hungry one day a week, eat no meat one day a week
o Read a book about the day-to-day life of a different indigenous culture and consider what it reveals about your culture and its life
o Read alternative news sources regularly

• Relationship with the Earth
o Spend five minutes outside each day
o Plant an organic garden
o Find a houseplant you like and learn how to nurture it carefully and with awareness
o Volunteer with local organizations that clean up the environment
o Design, plant or landscape your yard so that it reflects your appreciation for and awareness of nature
o Display pictures or objects from nature that inspire you
o Pay attention to the natural measures of time and the movement of the earth and the moon
o Enroll your neighbors in planting trees in front of the homes on your street
o Plan a hike outdoors with your friends, family or some support group
o Buy a reusable water bottle
o Tell your favorite magazine to use recycled paper
o Take public transportation instead of driving
o Stop junk mail
o Promote local farmers
o Make consumption choices that encourage and support good behavior from private industries so they improve their environmental practices
o Investigate and get involved in the Fair Trade movement
o Investigate local farmer’s markets, or other means of using locally-grown food wherever available and/or using organically-grown food when possible
o Remove and safely dispose of toxic cleaning products, paints, carpets, etc.
o Read labels on food and household products before purchasing them and purchase biodegradable, toxin-free products
o Support your local healthy food store
o Reduce your consumption of processed foods
o Eliminate spraying pesticides on lawns, plants and gardens
o Learn about energy efficient appliance
o Learn about renewable building materials and energy sources (solar, wind, geothermal)
o When purchasing furniture find out if it was produced sustainably
o Test drive a hybrid car and consider it for your next purchase
o Want less